Love, Just A Formality
by VanishRain
Summary: Brennan has a new man in her life but all is not as it seems. Her new secret has been tearing her apart. Can she marry a man when she is in love with her partner? In the end is it right to settle for just good enough? Can her partner really love her?
1. Chapter 1

"So how did your date go last night?" Booth felt a ping in his heart but he knew he had to know. She had been dating Scott longer than any other man he knew of, even Sully. He never liked the man but he treated Brennan with respect so he pushed his hatred down for the sake of his partnership.

"Wonderful actually. He took me dancing then we went back to my apartment for a special dance of my own." She forced a smile on her face as she glanced at her partner. She knew it would hurt him but she knew she had to be honest.

Booth's heart sunk. The man had gotten Brennan to open up socially more in the last three months then Booth had in four years.

"Oh." Was all he could muster.

The silence in the car was deafening.

"So did he like your moves?" Booth finally broke the silence as his heart screamed in agony.

"Booth, I do not feel it necessary to discuss what I do in my bedroom." Brennan said flatly.

"What? No! I mean your dance moves." His breathing was erratic. That woman was going to give him a heart attack!

"They seemed acceptable." She shot him a glare then went back to staring mindlessly out the window.

Silence.

Brennan began drumming her hands on the center console. She brought her left hand to his side of the console and let her fingertips caress his arm but suddenly shot then back to her lap. She let out a sigh before she spoke.

"Booth, do you know what love is?" She spoke with a determined glare.

"Sure. Why?" He glanced over at her but she refused to look at him, instead she fixated her gaze at her shoes. She could look at anything except those brown pools, with one glance he would know it was all a lie.

"Nothing, never mind." She clenched her fists and frowned. She wanted to scream it from the rooftops but when it came to her partner the words just would not form.

Booth just nodded and continued driving. They pulled into a gas station and Booth parked.

"Need anything Bones?" He looked up at her but she still refused to look up.

"Huh?"

"Do you need anything to drink? A snack perhaps? It is still another six hours until we can find a place to sleep."

"Oh, no. Nothing." She spoke without a hint of emotion. What she really needed from him was something she knew she would never receive.

"Oh, ok." Booth spoke as he turned and walked into the gas station.

As soon as the door shut behind him Brennan broke down and began to sob. She pulled her left hand in front of her face and sighed. It had been a week and he still hadn't notice the big rock on her left hand. She wanted to shake some sense into the man but that was completely irrational. Instead she took the high road; if he was unwilling to talk about her new relationship with Scott then she wouldn't bring it up.

She attempted to force the tears at bay but something was pulling at her heart. She knew it was useless but somehow she felt empty and cold. She ran her finger down his seat and felt a jolt of electricity which opened the gates to her now emotional hell. She opened up the case file and began scanning the pages, trying to push the flood of emotion down deeper. It was no use. The flood gates were open and they had no reason to recede.

She placed her head in her hands and began to cry. She was sure he would see her but she didn't care. All she cared about was pushing these feelings for her partner aside. She had a month until her wedding and could not in good faith marry a man when she thought of another. She had spent the last month trying to define these new feelings about her partner but she always came up empty.

All Brennan knew was she wasn't even sure if she knew what love was.


	2. Chapter 2

Brennan just could not shake the night she told Angela about her engagement, the events just kept playing over and over in her head like a broken record.

_"How did your date go tonight?" Angela asked in a hyper tone._

"Scott asked me to marry him."

"Oh Bren… I am so sorry. I will be over with some scotch."

"Scott like bourbon."

"What? You don't actually mean you said yes did you?"

"Yes to his proposal? I did… he is sitting on the couch. It is customary to bring over a bottle of something the groom will enjoy as well." Brennan's voice cracked as a single tear fell down her face. She should be happy but instead found herself heartbroken.

"Oh." Angela let out a frustrated sigh. "Have you at least told Booth yet?"

"He's just my partner Ang. He can find out like everyone else."

"No, Brennan! No! He is your best friend. He… he… loves you!" She heard the phone slam down then screaming.

Angela hadn't talked to her since that night. Brennan thought that things were going to be better on Monday but that day came and went without as much as a hello. It was the one time in Brennan's life when she knew that she needed Angela but was left all alone.

She was suddenly jerked back to reality by a tap on the shoulder.

"Hey Bones, we're here." He repeated himself and let his hand linger on her shoulder.

"Uh… what?" She spoke still looking out the window.

"At the hotel. I know this not the one you wanted to stay at but we would have to drive another two hours and it is already eleven." Booth closed his eyes and began rubbing his temples. Exhaustion was written all over his frame.

Brennan just nodded and stepped out of the car. She grabbed her bag out of the backseat and walked into the hotel, without even looking back.

"We would like…" Booth spoke, out of breath as he ran in after her.

"Two rooms please." Brennan smiled at the woman behind the counter.

"We only have one room available, ma'am."

"I guess that will do." Brennan shot an icy glare at Booth.

"You can take the room Bones. I can sleep in the car if it is a problem."

Her eyes shot to him and her face softened. He was leaning against the counter and she knew he barely had it in him to be standing. Their eyes locked for a moment before she turned away. She just couldn't take the pain that was written all over his face.

His eyes were hallow and empty. They hadn't talked since he found her sobbing uncontrollably in her seat. He just rubbed her back once then put the car in drive and pulled back onto the highway. She couldn't shake that there was something different between them, something had changed. She wanted to scream at him but knew that was no use. He had completely closed up to her. The man she had once known was dead and buried, now she was left with a shallow shell of a man.

She pushed the button for the elevator and waited.

"Booth… I can get your bag." She spoke as she turned and watched him drag his bag behind him.

"No, no. It is fine. I can do it." His eyes shot up but soon found their way back to the tile.

"It is the least I can do. You did do all the driving. Let me do it just this once." She tugged at the bag and he just let go of his feeble grasp. There wasn't much use in trying, the woman was going to win and he had no energy to fight.

"Only this once." He spoke softly as he leaned against the wall.

She smiled and held the bag towards her chest. It smelled exactly like him and she found it comforting. If she couldn't have the man she once knew she could at least live in the memories.

The door dinged and the elevator popped open. They walked in silence down the hall and to their room. She slid the keycard and the door popped open.

"Looks like one bed." She spoke then looked up at the man beside her. "You can have it."

"No Bones, you can have it."

"But where will you sleep?"

"Uh… the floor?" He spoke, scanning the small hotel room.

"No! We have slept in a bed together, why make an exception now?"

"Bones, you wanted two rooms though."

"Do you promise not to lay on me while I am sleeping?"

He let out a laugh then sighed. "That I can do." He looked up and smiled at her. She looked absolutely stunning in the low lighting of the room.

"I just have to make one phone call then we can go to bed." She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed before walking into the bathroom.

She shut the bathroom down and leaned against it, sliding down until she fell into a mound on the floor.

She dialed Scott's number and suddenly found herself getting tense.

"Hey Baby." He answered in a husky tone. "When are you coming home?"

"Tomorrow." She spoke flatly, trying to hide her pain.

"Still working the case? I can pick you up…"

"We ended up having to drive out for an interview and it got really late before we started driving back-"

"We?" Scott cut her off.

"Booth and I. You know, my partner." She rolled her eyes.

"You still haven't gotten rid of him, Tempe. You know how I feel about him. He's no good!"

"Scott! He is my partner. We have gone over this numerous times. I am not going to quit my post at the FBI just because of your irrational insecurities." She clenched her fists. He could be so infuriating sometimes.

"But Baby…"

"No! Just drop it."

"So where is your partner?"

"He is in his room."

"And you are?"

"In my bathroom." She wasn't exactly lying to him. If he was going to be immature and not trust her then some things she would just keep to herself.

"Oh, ok. Good. Have a wonderful night Baby. See you in the morning. I love you."

"Bye Scott." Brennan closed the phone and stood up. She splashed her face with cool water before standing up and walking into the bedroom.

She stifled a laugh as she walked into the bedroom. Her partner could be so silly at times.

"Booth, what in the world are you doing?"

"Making a boundary." He spoke without looking up from the mound of pillows.

"With pillows? What are we going to use to sleep with?"

"I hadn't thought of that." He stared putting the pillows back and felt a hand on his wrist. "It is okay Booth. We are both consenting adults… adults I think we can sleep in the same bed together and not have a problem. If you need to call anyone the bathroom is free." She flashed a smile without letting go of his wrist.

He looked at the clock and let out a groan.

"It is way past Parker's bedtime."

"Aren't you going to call Mandy?"

"We uh… we broke up."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She wrapped her hands around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder "I am sure whatever she did, it was not your fault." She spoke into his ear as her lips brushed up against it.

"I broke up with her." He shivered then spoke softly. It did feel nice to have her hands on him.

"Oh, well I bet you did have a good reason."

"I did." He let his body slump forward and frowned. His one reason was sitting right next to him. By the time he had mustered up the courage to ask her out Mr. Hot-stuff had entered her life and it was all over.

"Good. You deserve the best." She squeezed him tightly before she stood up and walked back into the bathroom.

"I only want you…" He spoke in a mere whisper as soon as the door shut behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

Brennan awoke in the middle of the night to find a hand cradling hers.

"Not now studly." She smiled sweetly as she rolled over and broke his grasp.

Her eyes lazily glazed at the clock, it was 5 a.m. surely he was awake. She pulled her phone off the nightstand before slowly walked into the bathroom. Scott surely looked more buff then she last remembered he did.

"Hey Dr. B" The man on the other end spoke, clearly still half asleep.

"How are the twins?"

"Matt and Maddy are doing wonderful. You call every morning at this time, we both know you do not call to see how my children are doing."

"But… Jack..." She whined, cutting him off.

"Angela's my wife, I know her Dr. B. She'll come around, she will. Just give her time. She clearly was not expecting you to marry Scott, especially after what he did."

"Can we please not talk about him right now? He's in the next room."

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?" Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch, she wanted to talk about one thing and one thing only… the only thing she wanted to talk about every day for the last week.

"Are we still up for breakfast?" She paused, waiting for him to catch up with her. She heard a sigh then continued. "It might be later than normal but I will call you when we get back into town."

"Of course but this time you are bringing your father. I am NOT doing this alone. If you will not listen to me then surely you will listen to your father. Clearly he will know how to rationally explain to you what love is. I can only take so many verbal beatings. I love you Dr. B but you really need to tell Booth. He deserves to know."

"No! I am not telling him! No! No! No! No!" She shouted as she slumped down against the sink.

"Please? I know this is completely irrational but if you can tell me what happened then you can tell him. The man loves you; he isn't going to think any different of you."

"No! No! No!" She chanted softly into the phone.

"But you told your father." Jack retorted with a smirk. He knew he had gotten her there.

"Yes but… its embarrassing." She confessed then bit her lip.

"No it is not. It is perfectly acceptable for you to not understand something. Its love, it's hard to understand. I can explain it to you every morning and you can read as many books as you want but it is not going to give you the answers you are looking for. You have to tell him, you just do. Ang is waking up so I have to go. Bye, Dr. B."

She heard him hang up and began slowly whimpering. A few minutes later she heard light knocking.

"Scott, I will be out soon." She spoke, her voice wavering.

"It's not Scott, its Booth. Bones, are you okay?"

Her eyes shot open and suddenly her mouth was dry. The previous night came flooding back into her mind. It was him! He was holding her hand. Not her fiancé but him! She stood up and ran through the bedroom toward the door. She looked back at Booth and whimpered. She thrust her hand at the doorknob and pulled it open. He was the source of her insecurities, he was… he was… him!

She pulled her engagement ring off and threw it at the man that was now standing a mere few feet in front of her, his mouth open and hands clenched. He wasn't sure what happened but when she started running down the hall his body collapsed under him and he began sobbing uncontrollably. He knew he lost her in that one second. He knew he would do anything to get her back but the fear that flashed through her eyes proved he could be too late.


	4. Chapter 4

Booth punched in the numbers as quickly as his finger could type. The person he called picked up on the second ring.

"Ang… it's Booth. Something happened to her… I… I just don't know." He paused and let out a frantic sigh.

"Booth, Bren is no longer my friend." Angela attempted to speak calmly but her voice broke.

"What?!?! You are her best friend! Please Ang, please. Tell me what has happened. I am left her in a hotel room with what looks like her engagement ring." It put the one he bought her to shame. It had to be at least ten times worth more than the one sitting in his counsel. Maybe she did deserve Scott; at least he could afford what she needed. "You have to know what it means, you have to!" He choked out. The tears were now flowing freely.

"She is going to marry Scott."

"What? She better not! He's… he's… why didn't she tell me?" His body fell into a heap on the floor. His once strong frame was nothing more than a hallow ball of pain.

"That is precisely why she is no longer my friend. You love her and she loves you. So she goes off and tries to marry the first guy she sees after my wedding. I was on my honeymoon and she was off shacking up with him!"

"Angela… we… we…" He looked down to find his body shaking.

"You did what Booth? What could be so possibly horrific that she ran? What?"

Silence.

"Don't tell me you told her…"

"I did... well I wanted to." He cut her off. "I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I am in love with Dr. Temperance Brennan. But instead I got plastered and well I deserve what I got. He can treat her better than I could anyway."

"Oh man." Jack chuckled.

"Jack? I was just talking to Angela…"

"Dude, I'm her husband. You were talking to her and now you are talking to me. You didn't possibly ramble about love and eternity did you?"

Booth rubbed his temples and tried to focus on the memories he had pushed far down.

"Sounds about right. Why?"

"Man you really screwed up."

"Jack! I have a gun and know how to use it. Now please tell me why?"

"Just be ready for a phone call in the afternoon."

Booth heard a click and a dial tone. He scrolled through his phone book until he landed on Brennan's number. His finger hovered over the send button until he forced himself to shut his phone. He crawled back to the bed on his hands and knees. He looked up at the bed; it was so close but so far away. He tried to pull his body onto the bed but his arms gave out under him. Instead he pulled her pillow off the bed and held it to his chest. If he could not sleep with his Bones at least he could lay with something that smelled as she did.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh... Hey Dr. B... Didn't expect to see you here." Jack smiled half heartedly at Brennan standing at his front door.

"Nice to see you too Jack." Brennan scathed.

"How did you get here? You were hours away the last we talked."

Brennan took a step to the side and smiled.

"Oh hi Max. I am guessing she has filled you in?"

"Oh yeah... Three hours worth" Max rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"Hey Jackiepoo... Whose at the... Oh, it's you." Angela glared at Brennan. "Your partner is worried sick about you." She snapped.

"You are incorrect in your assuptions. He has not called to inform about my whereabouts."

"Because you are with Mr. Sluttypants."

"My choice in sexual partners does not affect my ability to do my job." Brennan took a step forward and glared.

"It does when you tell him you love him! He may not have heard but you DID say it Bren."

"Jack! You... You... Said you wouldn't tell." Brennan began crying as she ran back to the car.

"What? Don't look at me." Jack shot glances at Angela and Max.

"Sometimes a father just has to be a father." Max grinned. "Plus I want grandchildren who don't look like a science experiment."

"Max!" Jack and Angela yelled then the three erupted in giggles.

"He really does look like mutant." Angela chimed in.

"Babe!"

"You know you agree Jack." Angela smiled at her husband.

"Well I guess I have to fix what I started." Max spoke as he kicked the ground.

He turned to walk back to the car but felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No, let me. She deserves the truth." Jack's eyes twinkled as he took a step in front of Max.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey… Dr. B." Jack knocked on the window. "Can you open the door?"

She shook her head and looked away. He could tell just by looking at her that she was at the end of her rope. Frailty was written all over her face. There was one man who was able to completely destroy her and if she had her way he would have done just that.

He knocked again and tried the door. "Come on Dr. B… Temperance… please…" He begged as he pulled on the handle. She refused to even look at him.

"Snickerdoodle." He said softly with a smile. He knew he could only use the codeword once but without it, he knew he would never get her to open the door.

"No! Not now!" She shouted as she clenched her fists.

"Come on… just open it. You did promise to do whatever I say and I say open up." He pointed toward the lock.

Brennan glared then slowly opened the door.

"That was unfair… so unfair, Jack." She shot an icy glare at his direction.

"Tell me what is really going on." He brushed a tear off her cheek with his thumb.

"You… you just won't understand."

"We got locked in a car together and almost died. I think you can trust me with the real reason for this whole mess and if you tell me one more time that you are just trying to figure out what love is I will shake it out of you. I know you didn't practically close everyone off just because you could not imperially decipher what love was. Spill."

Brennan just looked up at him and let the moment sink in. Was she really ready to finally be open enough to feel, to truly let herself feel? She turned to face him and placed her left hand in her lap.

"It really does look wonderful. I wish he would have just asked." She glanced down at the new ring that was sitting on her left hand.

Jack's eyes shot down to her hand then back up at her.

"That's… that's the ring Booth bought you. How did you find it?" It had been three months since he had saw that ring and the way things were going around the Jeffersonian he would have betted he never would again. Good thing he wasn't a betting man.

"It is not very hard to find something when he keeps it next to the poptarts. He knows I love the s'more ones." She spoke, refusing to look up from her hand.

"You realize if you would have just told him you found it he would have asked you?"

"That's not the point… it's just not it."

"Then what is the point? What does your empirical data tell you?" He knew science was always a safety net for her and if he had to go through a whole bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo to get her to open up, so be it.

"It doesn't matter, I'm marrying Scott. He's the one who asked so he gets the answer." She began to tremble.

"So you will marry a man even if you don't love him? Even for you that does not sound reasonable." Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He could tell she was falling apart right in front of him and he had no way of stopping it.

"You just don't understand, you're life is complete. I… I have nothing."

"You have us, your job and Booth. Isn't that something?"

"I don't have him… I lost him." She spoke, her voice a mere whisper. "He was my everything…" She mouthed, the words to raw to properly form.

"How could you possibly loose him? The man would walk through hell if it meant it would put a smile on your face."

"Do you remember your wedding… were he brought her?" Brennan looked up at him and pleaded with him to understand.

"Mandy? Yeah, sure. Why?"

"He brought her… to… to our date. I told him he was a great male specimen and was deserving of an alpha female and he brought her! I even wore the necklace and dress he picked out. What more does the man want from me?"

Jack chuckled and pulled her close to him.

"Did you ever think that maybe he just assumed that you were complementing him like you always have? Did you ask him out or just talk about him as a specimen?"

"No I didn't ask him out… but isn't telling him he deserves an alpha female the same?"

"Not to a man. We need things spelled out, clearly and in words we understand or even grunts. Grunts work well."

"Jack..." Brennan looked up and smiled at him.

"She smiled! The great Temperance Brennan smiled!" He took her hand and held it tight before he spoke, "Are you willing to do whatever it takes to win him back? Even if you have to admit your feelings to him, actually admit them."

She just shrugged and fixated on the ring.

"I'll take it as a yes. Stay right here. I will be back in a second with someone who can help."

Jack came back a few minutes later pulling his wife behind him.

"Tell her Ang, tell her your plan." He spoke grinning ear to ear.

"She has to promise me one thing first. Promise me that Scott is out of your life, promise me."

Brennan chuckled. "You've been talking to my father too long."

"Promise me."

"Fine… but this better work. Scott was quite flexible." Brennan finally relinquished control. The last week had brought her no more than pure destruction. Maybe someone else would have better luck trying to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.

"Now we need that little black dress in the back of your closet…" Angela began to ramble on as Jack walked away. If anyone was able to fix this, it was his wife. Now he just had to convince Booth to join him for dinner and he knew exactly to go to for help.

"Hey Max, got an hour?" He shouted as he ran back to the house.


	7. Chapter 7

Booth let out a breath he had been holding and resumed pacing.

"It has to be here... it just has to!" He threw all the items from his counsel onto the passenger seat and dug through them.

"Ah-ha!" He clenched the small blue box in his hands and found them to be shaking. "I'd give anything to marry her." He leaned against the car and stared intently at the box.

"And she'd let you." Max placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "But not when you look like that."

"Max?" Booth choked out.

"You thought I would just leave you to destroy any hope my daughter had to be happy? She loves you but first we need to get you cleaned up."

Booth looked and felt like he had been run over by a semi. Max's heart broke for the man, he knew his daughter could be fierce but he never imagined she could completely destroy a man in hours.

"It's beautiful… see!" Booth popped the box open and shoved it in his face. "But it's not here…" He glanced down at the now empty box.

"It was beautiful. Not as beautiful as your daughter but the sapphires really reminded me of her eyes. Eyes that I will never see again… eyes that sent my heart into overdrive the second they gazed into mine." He leaned into Max's chest. "I just love your daughter." He pitifully looked up Max and searched his eyes for answers.

"Do you think she will ever love me?" He pleaded with the men before him. He normally prided himself on being an alpha man but if getting her back involved groveling, well that was just a chance he was going to have to take.


	8. Chapter 8

Brennan paced around Angela's bedroom.

"Come on sweetie, just make your call and come down to the living room. The twins have a surprise for you." Angela stood in the door way with a smile on her face.

"But Ang, he needs…" She looked towards the door but found she was alone.

She let out a sigh and pushed send. Scott picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Baby. I can't wait until you come home." He spoke sweetly into the phone.

"Look Scott… I may not always know the correct decorum for this type of event but certain aspects of my life have changed." Brennan spoke flatly.

"What are you saying baby? We really do not need to move if you do not feel it is appropriate. I will do whatever you ask of me. Do we need new drapes? You said you liked the brown ones…" Fear dripped from each word.

"Scott the drapery is fine." She took a sharp breath and exhaled before she spoke. She knew she would be breaking his heart but somewhere deep down she knew this was right. "Rationally speaking we are just compatible."

"But you said you enjoyed the sex! You lie Tempe, you lie!"

"You were quite well in that department."

"Then what is it? What is so horrible that you hate me? What? What?!?! It's that partner of yours isn't it! What did he do to you Tempe? What is it? You slept with him again! You promised!"

She could hear him set the phone down and scream. This was much harder then she expected. She didn't do anything wrong, why was he taking this so hard?

Once he came back his voice was clearly ragged. "Just give me a chance Tempie, please. Just give me a chance." He pleaded with her.

Brennan began to pace then stopped short of the nightstand. She looked down at the picture sitting on the desk. They all looked so happy at the Jeffersonian ball six months ago. So little did they know their lives would take such a drastic turn, her life especially. It was the beginning of the end for her. She would give anything to go back to that time, to be who she was. But this was her mess and she needed to clean it up.

"Can you be at the diner in an hour?" She asked, staring intently at the picture.

"Sure Tempe, anything!"

"Bye Scott." Brennan shut the phone and let the memories of that night flood over her. The only night she felt complete. The touch of her partner's fingers against her skin still set her on fire but the memories of that night were too painful for her to ever love again. Anyone other than him, than what they had created. She took another picture out of her pocket and set it on top of the one sitting on the nightstand before running down the stars. She had just enough time to make a quick stop before the diner.


	9. Chapter 9

"What do you mean you lost her Ang? How far could she have gotten?" Jack screamed as his eyes gazed into the bathroom, his face softened. Max really had done wonders. He would have never been able to guess Booth was such a fragile state under his now strong exterior.

"She was up in our bedroom breaking up with Scott and when I came up here ten minutes later she was gone."

Angela glanced down at the nightstand.

"Hey babe, why did you get out the baby books? I thought you said you didn't want any more children."

Angela picked up the picture and placed it in the drawer without even looking at it. Little did she know, the picture held all the answers.

"I didn't Ang. What are you talking about?" Jack spoke, now frantic.

"Booth, what exactly do you know about her and children?" As the words slipped from his lips he knew somehow in this once instant Booth knew all he had lost.

"She said it was just sex!" He screamed as he glared at himself in the mirror.

Booth turned to Max and frowned. "Please don't hate me Max, please."

He grabbed Jack's keys off the table before he bolted out the door. He knew exactly where he needed to be, where she needed him to be.


	10. Chapter 10

"You know it is rude to stare." Booth spoke from a distance as he hid behind a pillar. He knew her mind was in overdrive and she looked so peaceful it was heartbreaking. He would have given up anything to see that woman happy but when she needed him, he came up short.

Brennan whipped her head around and scoured for the source of the voice. When she came up empty she forced her eyes back to the room before her.

"It all comes down to being a parent, doesn't it Temperance?" The voice spoke again.

Brennan's eyes shot back and she glared. "This isn't a time to crack a joke Scott." She spit the words into the wind.

She clenched her fists and reared back until she slammed into the pillar.

"Oof." She grunted as her body was pushed harder into the pillar. She squirmed to break free but his arms just pulled her in deeper and deeper, grinding her pelvic bone against the marble.

"That hurts!" She protested once she realized her arms were pinned to the pillar. She attempted to scratch her way free but found her body disobeying any orders to hurt the figure that was obviously causing her so much pain.

"No need to fight it Bones. Just embrace it." The figure behind her spoke as he loosened his grip yet still held her in his arms.

"Booth?" Her voice was so faint it barely rolled off her lips.

"Who else would know where you were? You actually thought Scott would be able to find you? The man cannot even find his way out of a paper bag!" Booth chuckled to himself as he began slowly rubbing his fingertips along her arm. "We complete each other."

"Scott was the one who I planned on marrying. He's the one who asked…" As soon as the words left Brennan's mouth the air felt heavy, sucking them both back into a black hole of anguish.

Booth lessened his grip and leaned into the pillar. She was right, he did ask. After four years of nothing more than flirting Scott was the one who was able to break through her rough exterior. He was able to say all the words that Booth had been longing to, that he needed to say. Maybe Scott was a better man than he. Finally her words broke him out of his sudden drop into self pitty.

"Why didn't you?" She spoke on the verge of a meltdown. "Alpha men are supposed to assert their dominance and claim their female as their own in a…" She began to scientifically describe what was so obviously ripping her apart.

His fingers trailed up her shoulder before they landed on her lips, forcing them shut by just their presence as the fingers trailed back and forth across her lower lip.

Silence filled the hallway as nerves grew on both sides of the pillar. She thought she was over him but one touch and she knew she couldn't get enough. He was sucked into his own world at the touch of her soft, silky lips, a world where he hadn't screwed up and that they could be one.

He trailed his hand down her arm and over her left hand before delicately caressing each finger individually. He reached her ring finger and lightly danced his finger over the ring over and over. The ring did feel perfect against her delicate skin. She felt her eyes close and her head roll back into the pillar. Did he know what he was doing to her?

"Just one shot baby… one…" He mumbled into the pillar his own head was attempting to become one with.

"What was that Booth?" Her eyes shot open as the words flooded over her.

"What? Huh?"

"What did you just say?"

"I didn't say anything…" His mind was screaming at him, he had said it out loud… to her… and she heard! "What did you think I said Bones?" His voice was raspy. His mind was telling him to shut up but his heart was in overdrive and there was no stopping now.

"I… I…" Brennan started then froze.

Silence once again filled the small hallway until a small child passed by and snickered.

"Someone got cooties…" The little boy spoke as he ran to catch up with his friends.

"Cooties? I certainly do not have whatever disease the little child was referring too!" Brennan baulked at the child's assertion.

"Well that is what you get for going to a daycare Bones. Children do believe in cooties." He spoke as he slipped his hand in hers.

"Do I have cooties Booth? Do I?" Her voice was dripping with vulnerability.

"He doesn't know what he is talking about, you're perfect." He spoke as he twirled her around the pillar until they were eye to eye.


	11. Chapter 11

"So…" He started. She really did look absolutely radiating in that dress.

"So…" She started. Her eyes looked longingly at him. She knew this was going to be hard but the way he looked at her just screamed do me.

She trailed her hand up his arm and stopped short of his sleeve.

"This shirt really does look good on you." She looked up at him and smiled the first real smile she had smiled in a week. She turned to walk away but felt a tug on her arm as he swung her back around.

"Don't think you are getting away with that this easily." He growled in a low tone.

"Get away with what? Since you were the one who found me when I was so easily accessible…"

"Shh. Shut it!" He put his fingers to her lips. "Let me explain."

She just nodded under his lips.

"You actually thought anyone would be able to find you here? A daycare on the other side of town?" He waited for a reply and she waited for him to remove his fingers.

"Oh, ha." He removed his fingers and chuckled. "Now you may continue."

She shot him an icy glare but that glare quickly softened at his obvious embarrassment.

"I am a public place aren't I? I even had to sign a few books. If someone wanted to find me then they would." She took a step forward and narrowed the space between them.

"So everyone in the world is supposed to know that you wanted to adopt a specific boy and that boy just happens to be in that classroom mere feet away? That is what you expect me to believe? Is it Bones? Is it?" He took another step forward.

"Well if you wouldn't have left me in the office all alone to file the paperwork as single then I wouldn't be in this predicament would I?" She spoke through clenched teeth.

"So that's what you wanted? You really wanted to lie on legally binding documents because you felt sorry for a boy in the system? That is low… even for you."

"Even for me? Even for me? What is that supposed to mean?" She threw her hands up in the air. "You left me with no other option. You knew for a fact that they would not let me adopt him due to our current working environment but you let me go and make a fool of myself. A fool Booth, a fool." She averted his gaze for a second before she thrust her eyes back up at his.

"So is that what this all comes down to you being embarrassed? The old Bones I knew wouldn't let some stupid legal document get in the way. If she wanted something she would go for it." He's eyes burned into hers. She exactly what buttons to push and push them she did.

"I had a chance to fix the ramifications and I intend on doing it."

"Is your solution a certain man named Scott?" His blood was boiling, he knew he was surrounded by children but that woman just infuriated him so.

"Scott was there and he would make an acceptable father." She spoke as she braced for his certain wraith.

"Acceptable? Is that all you want for your children?" He spit the words at her like they were venom, knowing exactly how to cause as much damage as possible.

"When acceptable is all you can obtain then it is all you can ask for." She spoke flatly, trying to build back up the wall he had destroyed in seconds.

"What is your real reason why said yes? Clearly having an acceptable father and subpar husband was not on your list of attributes that you wanted to wake up to every morning. Tell me Bones. Tell me!" He thrust his hand out and held hers tightly. "What could be so horrible and disastrous that it pushed you over the edge and you went completely loony? What?" His face softened as he saw tears well up in her eyes. "Where is the Bones I once knew?" He took another step closer. They were so close they could feel the other's breath on their face but neither of them was willing to admit defeat and cave.

"You! You're the answer to it all. You! You! You!" She spoke as she made a fist with her hand, letting the ring dig into his palm. Her eyes shot daggers into his heart, making it burn as quickly as hers did. "You!" She collapsed into him and began sobbing without warning.


	12. Chapter 12

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her until she finally looked up at him with tear filled eyes. She longed for his touch, needed his touch but resorted to a total meltdown in front of children of all people. Children. She glared at the scurrying little feet behind her then looked back up at him.

"You. Only you." She said softly, the words carrying with them their weight in gold.

"Me?" His voice cracked at her obvious vulnerability. "But I am your partner… your best friend."

"If that is all you see…" She turned on her heels and began walking away.

"No, wait. What do you mean me, Temperance?" The words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"You just… children… assumptions… feelings…" She babbled out, refusing to turn around.

"Sir, your hand is dripping red paint." A young boy looked up at Booth and spoke.

That voice, the voice of such an innocent child. The voice had replayed over and over in her dreams. It couldn't possibly be him; the child she was looking for was a mere six months old.

"Alex?" Brennan turned and smiled at the boy.

"Nope I'm Mikey. See?" He pointed to the nametag pinned to his hole filled shirt that was three sizes too large.

"Oh, sorry. I must have had you confused with someone else." She frowned, standing in awe of the small boy. Something in her heart said it was him… it just had to be.

"Alex is in there." The boy pointed across the hall to the nursery. "They say he should be with all the other babies 'cept me." The boy turned to Booth and tugged at his badge. "They can't 'splain why a brother should be with his own blood. Can you?"

Booth just smiled and wrapped his arms around the boy's small form. "I can't but I sure know someone who can." He swung the boy up and over his shoulders. "Bones?" He smiled sweetly at her.

"So Bones lady, can you 'splain why two bros have to live in separate rooms? Who can take care of my brother more then I can?"

"Yeah Bones, can ya?"

Brennan shot a warning glare at Booth before she turned her gaze toward the little boy. Her face softened and she smiled adorningly at him. He reached over Booth's shoulder and squirmed at her. She helped the boy down to his feet then looked down at his red stained clothing.

"Booth! You're bleeding!" She yelped as she turned his hands over and over, searching for the source of the blood.

"It's probably just a…" He looked down at her hands and the sapphires of her ring caught his gaze. He knew those stones… he swore he did. If he didn't think any better of it he would have assumed that she was wearing his ring but that was silly, she didn't even know it existed.

"Probably just a what?" Her eyes bore into his hands as she spoke. "What would cause these gouges?" She held his hand tightly in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"It is probably just a scratch. Leave it alone and it will stop bleeding." He pulled his hand away and wiped it on his jeans.

"Booth!" She scolded. "At least let me put this on it." She pulled a band-aid out of her purse and waved it in his face.

"Scooby doo!" The boy who was standing next to her exclaimed.

"Scooby-doo?" He asked as he gazed adoringly at her. "Since when do you carry around Scooby-door band-aids?"

"Well they are Parker's favorite…" She trailed off as she opened the wrapper. Clearly this was not the time to be discussing her choice in healing implements.

"Bone lady, kisses always make boo-boos better." Mikey looked up at Brennan and smiled.

"Yeah Bones… kisses always make cuts better." Booth smiled sweetly at her.

She rolled her eyes in defeat then placed her lips delicately on his palm.

"Better?" She looked up and smiled. She delicately placed the band-aid on his palm before returning her gaze to his.

"Much. Now let's get you a new shirt." He looked down at the boy.

"Booth… don't discuss certain attire in front…" She started but it was too late.

"I don't gots another. This was my good shirt." The boy shifted his weight and looked up at the couple longingly.

Without missing a beat Booth whipped off his shirt and placed it on the boy.

"It may be a bit big but I think it suits him."

The boy looked up, beaming.

"What do you think, Bones?"He turned to her and smiled.

She tried with all her might but she could not avert her gaze from his very chiseled chest.

"What.. ah… we… it's wonderful. Just smashing." She tore her eyes away from him for a second and knelt down at the boy's level. "Now where is the main office so we can get you the answers you acquire?" She held his very small hand lightly in hers while he pointed forward.

"That way." He spoke with a smile; with them he always knew he would be safe.


	13. Chapter 13

"You did really well with that boy in there." Booth ruffled her hair and pulled her into his side.

"Well… yeah… we…" She spoke with a hint of pain.

"He wasn't the boy from your dreams was he?" He looked at her, concerned.

"His voice was… but not the boy, nope. Booth will I ever be able to find him? I mean I know where he is but am I mother material?"

"You're great with Parker, of course you are."

"With Parker it is different, he's older. With a baby… it's just… a baby." She stood at her car, keys in hand.

"You'll do great. I know it."

"But the paperwork… they said my 'line of work was not hospitable to the habitat needed to foster a positive environment for a child'. Maybe they are right after all. It never worked out with Scott…" She threw open her purse and began digging around for her phone.

"You memorized that line from the rejection letter didn't you?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes but…" She glanced down at her phone to find fifteen missed calls all from Scott. "Scott…"

"What about Scott?"

"I was supposed to meet Scott an hour ago and… break up with him." Her head hung low.

"You were going to break up with him? What about the ring?" As he spoke she slipped her hand into her purse. "Usually you don't wear an engagement ring of the man who you are going to break up with."

"Yes, you don't." She said matter-of-factly.

Suddenly his pocket was burning. He had her ring! But what was she wearing?

"Let me see your hand!" He pulled at her purse but she held firm.

"No!" She protested. "Booth, get off me!" She jerked out of his grasp. She sat down in the driver's side seat and dug through her purse for nothing in particular.

"Come on Bones…" He slipped into the passenger seat and took in a large breath. Her car smelled exactly as she did.

She just pulled her key out and turned to face him, her hand still in the purse.

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing. I am just suspecting something."

"Well I need to get to the diner and break up with Scott then figure out how I am going to adopt him." She turned forward as a single tear rolled off her cheek.

"How about we make a deal?"

"What do I get out of it?" She turned back to him.

"I get to see your left hand and well, you will get your wish. You'll get your son."

"I doubt you can guarantee that I will be able to obtain legal rights to him Booth. You do not have that high of a clearance."

"I may not have a high clearance or enough connections but I know the one thing that is keeping you from having that boy."

"I doubt you know what…" His touch froze the words in her mouth.

"Bones, marry me." He said as he took her stunned nature to pull her hand out of her purse and gasped.


	14. Chapter 14

Note: I know this is really short but there will be another up tonight, right after I put this is up actually. Plus I just enjoy making everyone squirm, what exactly did they do? Whoever guesses right gets a virtual cookie.

* * *

"I can't believe we just did that. I can't believe we just did that!" Booth said giddily as he skipped back to the car.

"You can't believe we just did that?" She emphasized the word 'you' as she turned and glared.

"Well I just thought…"

"You thought nothing, buddy."

"Buddy? Oh you've been watching too many television shows."

"Isn't buddy a correct description for a friend?"

"Ha! Try again."

"Okay, well I will stick with partner." She smiled smugly at him as she slipped into the driver side seat.

"Oh! So you want to play that game? Well it will have consequences. Dire consequences." He flashed a smile as he turned over the keys.

"Bring it." She growled as she slammed down the gas pedal.


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you sure you want to do this babe?" Booth took Brennan's hand and rubbed circles on her palm.

"What else am I to do? Ignore him and pretend he will go away? He is currently residing in my apartment. It is not logical to just never return to my apartment."

"You could have me do it." He attempted to flash his largest charm smile.

"No! Just no! Stop it! Or I will be forced to slap that grin right off your face."

"Grin? I'm not smiling."

"Uh huh. Then whatever you call this" She motioned at his face, "stop it before it falls off."

"Oh, I don't plan on stopping until it does fall off."

"Okay, if you say so." She waved her hand at him and she slid out of her seat.

"Bones!" He shouted as he held his hand out, preventing the door from closing.

"Yes?"

"I think you need this." He dug through his pocket until he found her engagement ring from Scott. "Unless you want to keep it."

"Thanks…" She pulled the ring from his hand and smiled at him. "No blowing up the car while I am gone… or his apartment. If you blow up his apartment it would cause me to be blown to pieces and I do not believe you would want that." She flashed one last smile before she shut the door in his face.

The stairs to her apartment seemed to be never ending. She made it up the first flight of stairs with ease. The second and third flights made her heart feel increasingly heavy. Was she really going to do this? She had never broken up with a man before over another. Sure she had used that excuse before but never really meant it.

Before she knew it she was at her apartment. It was the same door she had always walked up to but somehow it felt different. It felt… hallow. She took a deep breath before putting her key in the lock and pushing the door open.

"Tessa…" The name just rolled over her lips. She stood in the doorway, refusing to enter the now foreign apartment. It looked like the apartment she had left that morning but something was clearly different.

Of all the people in the world she thought she would find in her apartment she was not one of them. Tessa. The name invoked a deep growl from within and soon she found her face drenched. Why was she crying? She was supposed to be happy.


	16. Chapter 16

Brennan clenched her eyes closed tightly just in time to hear,

"Oh Tessa…" The words rolled out of Scott's mouth. His voice was as soft as silk. She felt the need to gag… and well, she did.

She ran down the stairs as fast as her feet would take her and flew back to the car. Back to her safety net, to him, weather she wanted to admit or not she needed him to survive. She threw her body at the driver's side door just to feel him catch her in his arms.

"I am guessing it didn't go well babe?" He pulled her tighter to his chest as she began to convulse.

"I… can't… do… this…" She choked out.

"You mean you want to marry him? But Bones…" A hint of sorrow mixed with fear swirled around his brain as he tried to wrap his brain around her words.

She shook her head and spoke softly, "No… he just…"

"Bones, hey… hey… it's just me. What happened? I swear if he touched a hair…"

"She's there!" She interjected.

"She? Who?"

"Tessa." She hissed.

"Whoa. Hold up. Tessa, as in my ex?"

She just nodded and dug her head into his chest.

He rubbed his temple with his free hand and squinted. In twenty four hours he had gone from a single man to a married man whose wife's ex was with his own. This was all happening way too fast for his tastes. He wasn't quite sure why or even how Tessa knew Scott but either way it was going to end night there. He had to fix it… for her. He leaned her limp body against him as he opened the back door. He lightly laid her body across the seats before draping one of his old hoodies over her.

"I'll be right back, Bones. I just need to fix this." He spoke in a rush then leaned back out of the car.

She rolled over and let out a whisper, "Booth…" She pleaded with her eyes for answers.

"I'll go in there and get some answers then I will be right back. No need to worry. I will always come back to you." He leaned back out and watched her eyes flicker with fear. She curled up into a heap as the tears ran freely.

"Bones… hey baby…" She turned and looked at him, "I'm not going back to her. I'm with you now." He placed his left hand in hers and stroked her forearm with his thumb. "This ring does mean something to me. You're my world and will always be. I'll always love you. You're my wife and a mother to my son, I couldn't ask for more." He placed his lips on her forehead then bolted up the stairs.

The door was still wide open and his eyes narrowed as he bound up the stairs. He reached the last step and stopped. He glared at the sight before him. Brennan hadn't even broken up with Scott and his ex's hands were all over the dirty, dirty man.

"You… you tramp!" He screamed as he clenched his fists and ran into the apartment, eyes a blaze.


	17. Chapter 17

"Seeley!" Tessa's voice shrilled as she threw the throw from the back of the couch over her body. "Why… are you here?"

Scott's head whipped around and he glared at the man standing in the doorway.

"You're the one who got it in her head to break up with me! You said you were just her partner! She is mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!" Scott stood up and stood between Booth and Tessa.

Booth pushed Scott out of the way and came barreling forward until he was in front of Tessa.

"That is Bone's blanket!" He thrust the throw up and tossed it aside. "Not yours, not his. Mine! She is mine so…"He made a wide sweep of the room, "all this? Mine!" He whipped his head around towards Scott. "She is mine! See this ring?" He pulled his hand in front of Scott. "She's mine now buddy." He turned back to Tessa and glared.

"B... Bones?" Tessa whispered as she tried to look around Booth at Scott.

"Yes my partner, Bones. I am sure you remember her. The woman who you thought I was cheating on you with? The one you call a brain with a set of legs? Yeah, her."

"You did cheat!" Scott looked down at Tessa. "He lied to you baby. He did cheat. Don't believe a word he says."

Booth held his hand up to Scott. "Don't even start. I have not and will not cheat on my girl. Tessa was my girl, Bones was my partner. Just because you cannot keep it in your pants does not mean all men cannot. Say whatever you want but I am not you." He poked Scott in the chest causing Scott to fall back against the couch.

"Uh huh… so at the Hodgin's wedding nothing happened?"

His eyes grew wide. How did he know about that? Booth had been so drunk he barely knew what had happened.

"I wasn't dating Mandy at the time. She was just my date… plus… she had a boyfriend." He hung his head low.

"Ha! You got played… you got played." Scott danced in a circle with a grin plastered on his face.

"No, I just took a page out of your playbook. I can clearly see you enjoy seeing someone else when you have a girlfriend."

"She was not my girlfriend, she was-" Scott stopped short.

"She was what Scott? What was she?" Booth smiled smugly and leaned against the wall.

"Temperance, she was Temperance."

"Yeah, Temperance Booth." Booth spoke under his breath as he began digging through the kitchen drawers.

"What are you doing Booth?" Tessa spoke as she leaned her half naked body against Booth's bare back. She was so… repulsive, every second she was near him made him question more and more why he even dated her. Oh yeah, she was there… Brennan was not.

"Looking for something… something of Bones'" He shrugged her off his body and began digging faster.

"But this is Scott's apartment." She turned to Scott. "Do you know him Scott?"

"This is Bone's apartment! Not Scott's! Scott is just a piece of scum." Booth growled under his breath as he dumped a second drawer on the table.

"Babe… he's just lying. The man clearly is unstable." Scotts spoke as he backed up onto the wall.

"Scott Matthew Jacobson!" Brennan yelled as she came up the stairs. She had enough wallowing in self-pity. She needed to end this before it turned into gunfire.

"Yes Tempe…" He walked into the hallway and lightly ran his hand down her arm. "Babe, hey… how are you? You know I love you…" He smiled and reached for her hand.

She thrust his body into the door and glared as she kept walking forward.

"So I guess you have met my ex-fiancé Tessa?" Brennan shot an icy glare at Tessa.

"Fian…ce?"

"Yes, as in a preparation to be wed? Surely you have heard of the concept."

"Scott… do you know anything about this?" Tessa walked into the living room and leaned against the couch.

"Don't you touch my couch!" Brennan glared at Tessa and she quickly stood back up as her body tensed. One thing she remembered was never to piss of Brennan, never.

"Ah-ha!" Booth pulled out a small envelope from the back of a drawer. "I knew Max said it was around here." He walked back into the living room clenching the envelope in his fist.

"You want proof she's mine? Well here." He slid the envelope across the coffee table at Scott.

"So I am property now?" Brennan spoke with a smile.

"Oh you know no one could ever own that feisty spirit." He found himself melting into a sappy pile of goo. Her… with his ring… priceless.

Scott ripped the envelope open and scanned the page.

"Tempe... why does your father's will state you and Booth as sole beneficiaries with a clause for… oh man this cannot be legal." He looked up at Booth then down at the paper again.

"A what?" Brennan looked at Booth, pleading for answers.

"Just keep reading…" Booth spoke, his eyes never leaving his wife's.

"It says here that if you are not married…" He looked up at her; clearly she had no clue what it said. "to Booth then he has the right to and it says 'have his FBI way with you… until you submit.'"

Booth just smiled and pulled her to his side. Max was right, she was going to flip and he was going to enjoy every juicy second.

"What?!?!" Brennan shouted as she ripped the paper from Scott's hand.


	18. Chapter 18

Brennan had stormed into the bedroom clenching the paper. Scott attempted to run after her but was quickly slammed against the wall.

"Let me." Was all Booth said as he walked into the bedroom. He knocked but there was no reply, just ruffling of a blanket. He took it as his cue to enter. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed staring into nothing. He could see betrayal written all over her face, with a hint of fear dancing in her eyes he knew he had to act before she closed up.

"Come on baby, you gotta know that is funny." Booth smiled as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

Brennan just glared as she read the paper over and over.

"I can't believe…" She paused and looked up at her husband. "Is that why you married me? Because you would be legally obligated later?" She paused and crumbled the paper in her hand before continuing. "I mean… sex is… love is… he can't have control of my biological urges."

"I married you because I love you and want to spend every waking second with you. This piece of paper" His finger crashed down on the paper as he spoke, "had no bearing on my reasoning behind marrying you. I. Love. You. He wasn't trying control any urges. He was just trying to be a father the best way he knew how. No matter what you say, you are his baby girl."

"So you talked to him about this?"

"Yes and no."

She just looked up at him with a quizzical expression. She wasn't going to let him get away with this easily but she also wasn't going to push the subject.

"Do you remember the time when I 'died' and they never told you?"

She let out a sigh and nodded into his chest.

"Well your father did find me… well not exactly. A letter he had written showed up on my pillow one night. He knew there was a possibility that I would never see you again and wanted to make his wishes clear. He knew I would never reject you… he knew I… I loved you."

"But that was years ago Booth. How could he possibly know that we would be sitting here on my bed, or what was my bed talking about him and actually be married?"

"He didn't. He didn't even know anything more then I loved you and he wanted you to be happy. Even if he was gone he still understood that you needed family, that you crave it. He was just trying to give you a family the best way he knew how. It may not have been acceptable or even what you wanted at the time but he really does love you and wants the best for you."

"Then why did you never pursue me? Were you just going to wait until you had legal proof? I could have married someone else by then."

"I knew you wouldn't." He paused and she took the chance to speak.

"I almost did. Another month and I would have been married to Scott."

His breath caught in his throat. Although he had her now, the chance of losing her was still fresh in his memory.

"Is that who you wanted?" For an FBI, former sniper there was little that scared him. Losing her was on top of that list. He shifted his body weight as his body looked twenty years older than he was. "If that is what you want, I'm sorry." His voice wavered as his blood ran cold.

"No, I… care about you. You." The word love danced on her lips but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She had told him once and he left, he ran off with that blonde bimbo who was half his age. She instead brought her darkening blue eyes to meet his brown pools and let them do the talking.

"Was it proof you were seeking? I could have readily given you all the proof you need." Her smile was short lived, without knowing it she had cut herself to her core.

"I didn't need some legally binding document to prove that I cared. I knew and have always known it. Frankly you are probably the only person who didn't know it. All that piece of paper did was give me a reason to have sex with you, not show you I love you. You can have sex every day but if there is no spark then there is no love. I do not need a piece of paper to prove something I already know in here." He picked up her hand and placed it on his heart, "It was just a matter of the right timing."

"But we did have sex Booth… and you just left." Her body tensed and she began nervously chewing on her lower lip.

"I didn't leave… exactly. I was ashamed. I had built up in my head how perfect our first time would be, how magically it would be but instead it was in some sleazy motel when I was way too drunk to even remember half of it." He got down on one knee with tears in his eyes and looked up at her, "I couldn't accept that I had shattered something… someone so perfect. Instead I just pushed those feelings aside and pretended like they didn't exist. I didn't ask about your personal life because I couldn't take it. For the last three months I have been dying inside, trying to find a way to win you back. I know I will never be deserving of your love but at least for now I know I will have you. In whatever capacity you will accept me in." He looked away but soon felt her finger running up and down his cheek, bringing him back to her.

She smiled wider then she had in months. Finally a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She always assumed that her love making skills were not up to par causing him to leave her. She even took a few classes in anticipation of winning him back. She chuckled at the idea. The new skills she had learned would come in very handy right now. She had a lot to teach her husband… a lot and what better night to do it then their wedding night?

"Come on, let's go home." She stood up and tugged on his hand, bringing him to an upright position.

"But what about Scott? Your father?" You don't care about them?"

"Let them find out tomorrow. Tonight is a night for you and me. It may be antiquated ritual but I plan on replaying the scenario over and over." She flashed a smile and tugged harder.

"You bad, bad girl." He finally stood but the air still felt heavy.

"Is that all you wanted to know? I'm an open book. You can ask anything."

"Well there is one thing…" She released her lip from her teeth and sighed. "If you knew that you didn't need my father's will and would take your own time, then why by the ring? Why go through all the trouble of picking one out and sizing it if you didn't plan on using it."

"For you, nothing is trouble." He flashed a charm smile.

"Booth…" She nervously giggled.

"It had nothing to do with whether or not I planned on using it. I have had that thing around for months. For weeks Parker had been talking about you. Rebecca had been going on a whole bunch of dates with random men and it got to him. He flatly asked why I hadn't married you yet. I had to real reason to give him. I knew I loved you and would do anything for you. I had no reason except fear of rejection not to marry you."

"So you got the ring and had a plan but never carried it out?" The complete vulnerability in his voice caught her attention. She had seen him at his darkest moments but the complete lack of any kind of filter made her heart ache for her husband.

"Well I did have a plan but… you told me the next day you were dating Scott."

"So that is why you wanted to meet me at the diner at 2 a.m.?"

"Yep, I had finally gotten up the courage to ask you to marry me and you came strolling in with him." His body flinched at her touch but soon found itself drawing her closer and closer to him.

"I'm sorry Booth… I… I…" She rambled. She had watched his heart break into a thousand pieces as he relayed the events that obviously were still fresh in his mind.

"No need to be sorry. I have you now." He lightly kissed her on the lips before pulling back quickly.

She just nodded. He had given her all the assurance she needed. Silence filled the room as she began walking forward. The tension could have been cut with a knife. The guilt dripped from her body as he felt the vulnerability set in. The woman really could have killed him with words.

"Booth?" She spoke as she turned and faced him.

"Yes baby?" He smiled at the way her eyes twinkled in the poorly lit room.

"I love you too."


	19. Chapter 19

"Are you ready to do this?" Brennan turned to Booth, pen in hand.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Uh, let me think…" She set the pen down and put her chin in her hand, "in the last twenty four hours you have gotten married, found your ex sleeping with mine, I've moved into your apartment and now you are filling out paperwork to adopt a child that you have never met." She paused and frowned at him. "So I will ask again, are you really willing to do this?"

"I love you and want you to be happy." He flashed a smile, stroking her hand reassuringly.

"Yes, but he…"

"Bones, I get it. You had a dream in which you met a boy that you fell in love with. You found the child and now you want to adopt him. You love him like a mother should, I get it."

She nodded and looked down at the paper before her. She picked up the pen and twirled it around for a few minutes before she spoke. He deserved to know.

"In foster care I had always hoped someone would want me…"

"You're father always wanted you Bones. He loves you."

"But he left me." She turned her head away, staring out the window. "Love is… love is just a lie."

He clenched his hands and stood up.

"Bones… you… you…" He quickly paced around the living room, glaring holes into her.

"I what?" She stood up and stepped into him. "What did I do that was so horrible… so devastating? What?!?!? Do you want me to lie and say I understand love? Fine. I'll lie." She spat the words like venom.

He just rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth.

"So when you told me you loved me that was a lie? Why marry me if you don't love me?" Fear and devastation swirled around his eyes.

"Maybe I shouldn't have." She turned her back to him and her body shook. "You'll just…"

He was at his end with her. She was burning the candle and both ends. First she loved him then she didn't even know what love was. Was she trying to give him a heart attack?

He twirled her body around so she was facing him. His eyes burned a fiery blaze as he felt her heart shatter in his hands.

"What will I do? Tell. Me." He growled.

"You'll, you'll… just lie and get what you want." Her voice wavered as she collapsed in his arms. "Like everyone else. Just use me."

"Oh, baby…" His face softened. It was really hard for her to be this open and he was just making it worse. He was scaring her half to death. This was killing her and himself in the process.

"I… I get love in here." She put her hand on her heart, "But… up here," She put her hand on her head, "it just makes no sense. Booth, what is love? Intellectually?"

He let out a laugh as he held her close to his body.

"For once I get to teach you something." He smiled as he placed his head in her hair and inhaled her sent. "I have been waiting for this moment for a long time."

She looked up at him through tear filled eyes.

"Really?"

"Of course. Why would I not want to show you how to love?"

She smiled. She didn't deserve all he did for her but was grateful for every second.

"I think I'd love that."

"I think I would too, Bones."


	20. Chapter 20

"Booth… where are we?" Brennan looked up at her husband and shrugged.

"A park." He smiled at her.

"I know that much. But what park" She leaned into him, "and why?"

"The place really doesn't matter, it is what we do in it that matters."

"Oh really?" Her curiosity was perked. Sex in a park, she always thought he was a private man but things could change… she really hoped they had changed.

She threw herself at her husband only to have him push her off him.

"Bones! What are you doing?"

"Having fun at the park." She wiggled her eyebrows before she trailed her hand up under his shirt. "You want me to have fun, don't you?" She spoke in a seductive tone then licked her lips.

"Bones! Stop!" He stood up and stood next to the park bench. "Are you coming with me?" He asked with one hand outstretched.

"Fine.' She admitted defeat as he pulled her to her feet.

"So what exactly are we doing?"

"You'll see." Was all he said as he led her down a narrow path at the edge of the park.

"A… swing set?"

"Yes Bones, a swing set." He turned and smiled at her, "Would you like to swing?"

"Um… what?" This was not what she was expecting when he said they were going to have some fun. Well not the correct type of fun anyway.

"Would you like to swing on the swing set?"

"Booth, I don't swing."

"That is why I picked it."

"You picked swinging on a swing set because I don't swing on said swing sets?"

"Bones, how were your dating experiences in high school?"

"Don't laugh…" She felt her face become flush.

"I would never laugh at you. Please tell me." He cupped her head in his hand and kissed her check, easing the tension that was building.

"None existent."

"And in college?"

"Um... uh… short lived? They were men and served a purpose. They were mature enough to know what I wanted out of a relationship… my needs."

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

"Bones, you never really had a proper first date. All your dates were there to pacify your needs. We are here so I can show you what a first date really should be. A silly, goofy event that made no sense at the time but you will laugh about later. Now please get on the swing."

"But we are married, Booth. Isn't dating supposed to come before marriage?"

"Bones, for the love of all things rational… please, please get on that swing… NOW!" He growled at her.

"Now that I can get behind… or do you want to be behind? I always like it when you are behind." She winked.

"Bones!" He glared and pointed to the swing, "Sit!"

She just nodded slowly and sat. He was going to pay for that later… and like it, she was sure he would like it.

He walked behind the swing and began to push. It was silent as he pushed her and she stared up at the stars. She could feel her heart flutter every time his hands made contact with her back. Just the simple act of pushing her on the swing was sending her heart into overdrive. As the new emotions fluttered about her mind tried to sort and compartmentalize them but it was futile, her heart was going to win tonight.

"Booth?" She broke the silence.

"Yes Bones?"

"Is it normal to have your heart flutter and feel as though it is going to explode in your chest?"

He let out a chuckle and smiled.

"Yeah Bones, its normal."

"Okay, good. I don't want explode on you. That would be very messy to clean up. Blood really does stain."

He just smiled and kept pushing. They spent the rest of the night and most of the morning at that swing set in silence. He stopped once she had fallen asleep. He picked her up and carried her to the car. He set her in her seat and buckled her in before he returned to his side. As soon as he slipped into his seat he felt her tug on his shirt.

"Booth, I think I like these heart palpitations." She muttered before rolling over and falling back asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

"So Parker is supposed to teach me to throw a ball?" Brennan rolled her eyes and grunted. "I can throw a ball, Booth."

"No, now please just watch."

"And what is in it for me?"

"You love Parker, right?"

"Of course."

"Then go mend his broken heart."

She opened the car door but he quickly reached over her and shut it. "Bones!"

"You said..."

"Just watch..."

Just as she turned her body she caught Parker slowly handing a girl a cookie then blushing.

"We really are going to have a problem on our hands." She spoke, smiling.

"Hush!" He thrust his finger forward.

The girl was eating the cookie then ran away to a group on the other side of the playground. Leaving Parker without a cookie and the girl. He turned his back to them but as his small frame shook, they could tell he was crying.

She looked over at Booth and he nodded. She slowly opened the door and walked to the distraught little boy. She wasn't his mother, what was she going to say?

"Hey Park." She smiled at the boy.

"Hey Dr. Bones." The boy smiled back through tear filled eyes.

"Girls are stupid." He muttered then realized she was a girl, "No you, you're smart."

"Girls ARE stupid, though Parker." She knelt down and brought him into an embrace.

"What? But you are a girl..." The boy was clearly shocked.

"Sometimes girls do not know what they have until they loose it. Girls can be stupid and still be intellectually smart."

"Oh. They are smelly too." He added for good measure.

She chuckled as she picked up the boy.

"So I am smelly?"

"No! Well I think you smell funny sometimes but Daddy says you smell heavenly."

"Oh, he does?"

"Yep. I would rather smell burgers though. Burgers are good. You know that right?"

She nodded as he clung tighter to her.

"How about we take Daddy to dinner? We can order burgers and test that theory."

"Really?" His eyes widened.

She nodded and kissed his forehead.

"I really like theories" He paused and looked up at her, "and girls really aren't that bad. Especially when they are Dr. Bones."

"One day you will find someone and it will be magical." She looked down to find him sleeping in her arms.

"Have a good talk?" Her husband smiled as he took the boy from her.

"Girls are stupid and smell." She leaned in and kissed him lightly.

"Is that so?" He locked eyes with her and smiled.

"But burgers fix everything."

"And experiments." Parker spoke then rolled over.

"So Bones made it all better, Bub?"

The boy nodded as he quickly fell fast asleep.

"Booth," she pulled on his shirt, bring his lips to hers, "we have a burger experiment to attend to."


End file.
